How Do Clothes Affect Our Health?

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Many of us wear clothes that make us comfortable, some of us like trendy clothes while others prefer clothes that make them looking good. However, not many of us ask ourselves – how do clothes affect our health? Namely, the rapid growth of technology enables clothing manufacturers to apply new ways of treating materials to make clothes more resistant, waterproof, wrinkle free, more durable and stain resistant. According to them, they apply these processes to meet the needs of their clients. The new ways of treating materials, give customers type of clothes easy to store, wash, and maintain, not losing their colors or quality. But, what is the other side of the coin? Various researches confirm that almost all clothing manufacturers use chemicals to treat clothes that can raise the risk for many diseases such as dermatitis, itching, infections, rashes, nausea, headache, etc. Some of these chemicals are extremely toxic that can contribute to serious health problems like cancer, hormonal dysfunction, low immunity, etc. Even organic fabric, for example, wool, cotton or linen, can contain chemicals because of some chemical treatment. Though, they are still the safest available fabrics in the clothing market. To find out more about toxic fabrics, the article “The Top 6 Fabrics You Should Avoid Wearing and Why” lists the top 6 most dangerous materials.

1. Polyester is the worst fabric you can buy. It is made from synthetic polymers that are made from esters of dihydric alcohol and terpthalic acid.

2. Acrylic fabrics are polycrylonitriles and may cause cancer, according to the EPA.

3. Rayon is recycled wood pulp that must be treated with chemicals like caustic soda, ammonia, acetone and sulphuric acid to survive regular washing and wearing.

4. Acetate and Triacetate are made from wood fibers called cellulose and undergo extensive chemical processing to produce the finished product.

5. Nylon is made from petroleum and is often given a permanent chemical finish that can be harmful.

6. Anything static resistant, stain resistant, permanent press, wrinkle-free, stain proof or moth repellant.

Medical experts also advise us to wash the new clothes at least once before wearing. Ideally, they recommend twice, without much detergent. They also suggest avoiding bleaching agents as well as fabric softeners. These products also contain toxic substances that additionally pollute our clothes. Modern detergents are aggressive regarding our health, too. Medical experts suggest strongly following recommended dosage written on product instructions. It will ensure that chemical from detergent will be thoroughly rinsed out.